“Despite what he did, do you really think he should live?” Dr. Ranlen raises an eyebrow, although her tone is controlled.
Sighing, I wave her concern away. “Yes. Did he fuck up? Absolutely. And I made him pay for it—the same as he wouldhave done to any of us Boys. But, he is more than the sum of his sins. We all have blood on our hands. We’ve all been in the trenches and made calls we have to live with.
“What he did was despicable—I’m not arguing against that. However, I’ve known him the longest. I remember the boy I grew up with. The one who had so many ideas, who smiled and laughed. And I remember how his father twisted him into a mold that never should have happened. Nobody can fight against the physical and mental torture he went through. Hell, the fact he lived through it is a testament to who he is. You may look at him and see his wrongs, but I see his rights.”
Doc snorts, and even Dr. Ranlen looks unimpressed as she wrinkles her nose. Coughing lightly, she gently says, “We all may have blood, but he broke something that should have been cherished. Given his reaction, I’m not sure he can come back from that.”
“I understand where you’re coming from. But, please, listen. I wanted you both to hear me out, as I have to make my own appeal to the Council and I know they’ll also ask for both of your expertise.” I draw in a deep breath, prepared to beg for my best friend’s life. “Despite what his father did, he never snuffed out all of the boy I knew. If he had, the cruelty you’ve all witnessed would have been so much worse. Allesandro did not have to forgive me, and he certainly didn’t need to give me the keys to finding myself. Not only would he have not saved Marcus, there’s no way he would have been able to forgive him and ensure that Marcus kept Keegan. Then to entrust a child to them…
“I saw the impact Emilio had on Allesandro, and I got to see my friend come back to life. Hell, by most rights, Allesandro should have killedyou, Dr. Ranlen. You certainly didn’t betray him, but the person you vouched for did. Yet, all he cared about was making sure you were alright.
“None of us know what he went through with the kidnapping. But, what we all know is that Allesandro was taught control. That he has to be the one in control to survive.
“He came back to a family in turmoil, from what I’ve heard. Both Cristian and him had been replaced, family ties were shifting, and he saw his love falling for someone else. Fuck. Even I would struggle in that instance. Again, we can all agree that what he did was wrong, fucked up, and damn well evil. He is not, though. Not at the core. My best friend is still there, and I’m begging you.Please. Help me get him back. Don’t let him go.”
Dr. Ranlen takes a deep breath as she exchanges a loaded glance with Doc. With a pained expression—whether due to her decision or the reminder of her own fuck up, I don’t know—she waves us forward. “Very well. I’ll speak with him and try to keep an open mind. However, my recommendation will be based on that and not childhood memories.”
With a wince, I nod and mentally say a prayer, despite not believing in any type of god. If Allesandro is going to live, he needs a miracle. And these two doctors are only the first part of getting him one. Still, I’d like to leave here knowing he has a chance, and that I didn’t destroy the one thing I had left of this family. The one person who, despite all the fuck ups, is still the one I could count on. That’s what I need them to see, and I know, deep down, he’s still with us. If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have been so easily destroyed.
The guilt of doing it eats at me. I knew he was broken—I just had no clue how deep those cracks were. Not until the bonds holding him together were fully ground into dust. All I can hope is that he rises from the ashes and learns to soar. It took me a long time to do it myself, but if I can, I have to believe my friend is able to as well. For me. For the family. And for his Boy, because while Lio may not need him anymore, I have a feeling the only way Allesandro will find his life again is through theman who shouldn’t give him mercy.Fuck. Maybe it’s more than a miracle we all need…
Istudy the map Leandro made, crossing off a few of the people who made it onto the list by sheer coincidence of being at the party. The rest are getting files built on them, and anything we can dig up is going in there. We’re not taking any chances, not when they’ve pulled from the elite before, and if this is how they did it…well, nobody is safe from us.
An alert goes off and I drag my attention away from the map to read the words scrolling across my screen. Switching feeds, I watch the news with a raised brow, and feel a headache brewing in the back of my skull.
“Where’s Roman?”
“Why am I his keeper?” Leandro asks.
Turning in my chair, I look over at him, waiting patiently.
He sighs. “He’s with Carter.”
“Thank you. Please ask Lio to join us, I only want to go over this once.”
Grabbing my stuff, I leave the office and head to Carter’s medical room. Seeing Carter in his hospital bed is hard, knowing how close he came to death. I don’t know if Roman would have survived losing his father. Not after everything he’s gone through already with Cristian.
Knocking on the partially open door to Carter’s room, I slip inside.
Roman looks up and grins at me. “What are you doing here? Not that I’m not happy to see you.”
I snort. “Sure, Amore.” I look to Carter. “How are you doing?”
He shrugs a little. “Been better, the pain comes and goes, and I’m finally able to get up for a few minutes at a time. Though Marcus and Keegan hover every time I am allowed to sit up. Other than that, I feel as if I got shot and had major chest and abdominal surgery.”
I grimace, hating I’m about to bring…interesting news to him with everything he’s dealing with. “I wish I could hold off on this, but sadly, this isn’t a social visit.”
Lio slips into the room and I resist the urge to kiss him. He’s more put together than he was this morning when he rushed out in his borrowed suit, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have the image of his lips wrapped around Ten’s cock burned in my memory. As is the way Ten looked when Lio said he thinks of him as a Daddy.
I’d never thought about it, but it’s perfect for my love. The care and consideration he already gives us all is a testament to the type of person he is, and how much he cares, even if he claims otherwise. Of course, it’s the one who should feel and care the least that is our biggest pillar of support and strength.
So, if my Puppy needs Tennant as a Daddy…who am I to deny him? There’s something special between the two of them, and I can’t wait to watch them blossom.
Of course, all that brings up the fact that I need to carve out time soon to speak with Benjamin. Knowing his jealousy issues go deeper than just “sharing” Tennant’s time and affection makesmestabby. There’s a difference between feeling left out and jealous of those Tennant has in his life—even if none of us fully understand jealousy—and Benjamin’s dangerous and controlling way of thinking.
If anyone should have the right to feel possessive over Ten, it’s me. But Tennant’s happiness has always come before anything else. The more people in his life, the more that are willing to protect him, which eases the anxiousness I feel. Not only that, whoever and whatever belongs to Ten, also belongs to me, which means they live undermycontrol, not anyone else’s, and certainly not their own.
Turning my attention from the too tempting Boy to the problem at hand, I bring up what I need on my tablet. “Now that we’re all here, I have a few things to go over with the three of you. As you know, I discovered who we believe is the LEO in charge, Special Agent in Charge Cecily Dowing. She has the right connections, not only to the locals and the feds, but her father is Senator Seán Dowing. Who, incidentally, is the senator that gave Doc and Dr. Ranlenbadvibes when they met him at that charity event they attended.”
